Posted

You may assume that all tooth stains are created equally, but they’re not. There are a variety of different causes and reasons for why someone’s smile might appear dull, yellow, or stained. They may have a complete mouth full of yellowish teeth. Or you may notice that one tooth is decidedly darker than the others. In any event, it’s a logical assumption that if someone has extremely stained teeth, the solution is to have a professional teeth whitening treatment. This may be the case. However, your Riverside dentists at Riverside Dental Group, will tell you more about the two main types of tooth stains and why whitening isn’t always the solution.

Extrinsic Tooth Stains

Extrinsic stains do their damage on the surface of your tooth enamel. Because of this, these stains are fairly easy to remove or cover up with professional bleaching treatments. Among extrinsic stain causes are tobacco use and food and beverages that are dark in color (coffee, red wine, or berries, for example). Extrinsic stains can cause long term discoloration of teeth if oral hygiene practices are insufficient. However, regardless of how much you brush your teeth, they are destined to dull in the same way that hair grays or skin wrinkles.

Intrinsic Tooth Stains

Intrinsic stains originate from inside your teeth. Less common, intrinsic stains are generally caused by tooth injuries, or certain antibiotics/medications. Tetracycline and doxycycline have proven to discolor children’s teeth when prescribed before the age of eight. There are also certain antihistamines, antipsychotic drugs, and high blood pressure medications that can cause intrinsic stains. Unfortunately, stains that start inside your tooth don’t general respond to regular tooth bleaching. Other cosmetic procedures (such as dental bonding or porcelain veneers) may be recommended by your Riverside dentists in cases of internal .

Help for Tooth Stains from Riverside Dentists

If you are an existing or new patient interested in dental checkup, teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, or any of our comprehensive dentistry service, contact your Riverside dentists. We are happy to offer a wide areray of procedures for the entire family. Contact our 92506 dentist office at (951) 369-1001. We serve patients throughout Riverside County.